Red Cross Says 3 Volunteers Died of Ebola in DR Congo as Uganda Cases Rise to 5
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 23
Red Cross Says 3 Volunteers Died of Ebola in DR Congo as Uganda Cases Rise to 5
16 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 23
Three DR Congo Red Cross volunteers in Ituri died on May 5, 15 and 16 after apparently contracting Ebola during dead body management work on March 27, the IFRC said.
The mission was unrelated to Ebola, and the community had not yet identified an outbreak, making the volunteers among the first known victims in the current surge.
Uganda confirmed three new cases, lifting its total to five, including a driver and a health worker linked to the first patient and a Congolese woman who crossed the border with mild symptoms.
DR Congo has 82 confirmed cases and seven confirmed deaths, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths, while WHO raised the country's risk assessment to its highest level.
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Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak 2026: Over 130 Deaths, Cross-Border Spread, and the Urgent Need for Targeted Vaccines in DRC and Uganda
Overview
A rapidly unfolding public health emergency is affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda due to an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease, a form of Ebola. The crisis began with a fatality in Bunia, DRC, on April 24, 2026, and quickly escalated when mourners at a funeral in Mongbwalu came into contact with the victim, leading to further spread. The Africa CDC announced the outbreak on May 20, 2026, and soon after, Uganda confirmed its first case, showing how quickly the disease crossed borders. This situation highlights the urgent need for safe burial practices and effective risk communication to contain the outbreak.